CBeebies to Launch in New Zealand

Sky and BBC Studios have struck up a deal that will, for the first time, see the preschool channel CBeebies become available in New Zealand.

CBeebies is aimed at kids under 6 and encourages children to learn through play, offering a mix of new and classic titles to educate and entertain young audiences. Among the programs available for the first time in New Zealand are the animated series Hey Duggee, the geographical adventure show Go Jetters and the 2D animated series Sarah & Duck.

“Christmas is coming early for our youngest viewers this year with the addition of CBeebies to our family lineup in November,” said Sky NZ CEO Martin Stewart. “With a range of fun, entertaining and trusted content from one of the world’s greatest producers focused on family, community and well-being, we know Kiwi kids will be inspired by this best of British children’s viewing.”

The Sky-BBC Studios deal also includes extended carriage rights for BBC UKTV and BBC Earth, as well as a range of quality programming spanning scripted drama and factual series that will stream on Neon. There are increased catch-up rights on Sky On Demand and on Sky Go, as well as more box sets of favorite BBC series.

Jon Penn, managing director of BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said: “We’re delighted to extend and enhance our partnership with Sky, offering viewers a brand-new channel for preschool children, CBeebies, and many more shows available on demand. This deal enables Sky viewers of all ages to enjoy the best British shows—in the way that they want to.”

In-Depth

About TV Kids

TV Kids delivers comprehensive information and analysis on the world of children's programming. It is produced by the same team behind World Screen, the leading source of information for the international media business. Read more here.